An Interlude
by Cyanidas
Summary: „You like him because he's normal and you've never quite felt like a princess or a queen. Lyssa knows you've always wanted to play in the mud instead of attending your classes" she said more to herself and in between blinks saw young Jennah's pristine white dress splattered with dirt and mud and yet she had never seemed happier. - A queen and her bodyguard. Pre-slash if you squint.


**This is actually part of a story I'm writing for myself and revolves around the blossoming relationship of an OC and Anise but as I read over this short piece from Anise's pov again I realised that it might work as a small standalone ficlet. There is precious little GW content out there and even less about Jennah, Anise and their relationship with each other. This is pretty much how I picture it: especially if you consider that Anise has to be at least 15 years older than Jennah and basically accompanied her for many many years.  
**

 **Anyway, enjoy.**

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 **An interlude**

„-and I thought we could extend the lunar new year festivities this year so they cover two weeks instead of the usual one and a half. That gives some of the commoners an extra three days rest and no longer messes with everyone's schedule. Events should never start or begin halfway during a week, it's nonsensical. I don't know why we even started doing that in the first place" The sound of a pen being put back onto a desk and scraping of a chair.

„Anise? Are you listening?" Soft steps, barely audible because the feet didn't wear shoes and the ground was covered with a plushy carpet.

„Anise?" A touch on her shoulder tore her from her thoughts and Anise turned around to look into mildly concerned brown eyes.

„Are you alright?" Jennah asked and Anise waved her hand as if to dispel her concerns and marched to one of the smaller tables in the middle of the room where her glass of wine was still waiting to be emptied.

„Of course I am" she replied and knew exactly how her queen looked at her this very moment even though she had her back turned to her. One raised eyebrow and if she hadn't been raised like a princess she would have crossed her arms in front of her chest as well.

„What was I talking about?" They had known each other for a very, very long time and if Jennah thought she could honestly pull that trick then she would have to disappoint her.

„Your conference with Caudecus, possible distribution of leftover tax money, new palace garden designs for the coming spring and changes to the annual lunar new year festivities, in that exact order" She heard her huff just like she had done as a small girl and the memory brought a small smile to her lips. Anise turned around and cocked an eyebrow upon seeing just the hint of a pout. Sometimes she couldn't believe that this was supposed to be a fully grown woman.

„You're distracted" Anise flipped her hair behind her shoulder in one fluid movement and took a sip from her wine.

„I am not. I hope you're prepared for Estelle's outrage because it's going to happen once you announce that her servants will be unavailable for three more days than usual" There was a time when changing subjects like this had worked on Jennah. Those days were long gone.

„What's wrong?" Anise could deal with almost anything but honest concern coming from her only friend was still something she had never quite... mastered. Tanned hands curled themselves around pale fingers and for the fraction of a second she saw a small little girl reaching for her hands because she would absolutely refuse to go anywhere unless she was led around by her favourite redhead.

„Look how grown up you are" She hadn't meant to say that and certainly not with so much fondness but it melted some of the distance between them as Jennah stepped even closer, just moments away from resting her head on Anise's shoulder despite being marginally taller than her.

„Please tell me what's bothering you" And wasn't this the root of the problem? That Anise had never been able to say 'no'. Not to Jennah. Never to Jennah. So she sighed and asked herself why she was stuck with this woman and tried to think about what to say.

„What is so special about Logan?" Mentioning the cause of one of their oldest arguments wasn't the wisest course of action but at least Jennah gave her the benefit of the doubt and didn't immediately leap to his defence.

„That's been keeping you busy?" she asked instead and Anise gave her a look, just quietly asking her to answer the question. The krytan visibly thought about it for a moment before speaking:  
„He's nice and caring. His heart is good and he fights for what he believes is right. He always protects the weak and... he cares for me, on a more personal level than anyone else but you. Anise, you... you know that I'm not going to ask him to marry. If that's what you worry about. I am quite aware that he's in love with the mask I carry around like a second face" Tangible hurt and Anise felt guilty for having brought it up. Despite being so inexperienced with the matters of the heart, Jennah was old enough to realise that she didn't really love him no matter how attached she was. And that it would never end well either way. The Jennah Anise guarded as fiercely as a lioness guarded her cubs was too precious and too... much for any man to handle. Especially startstruck Logan.

„You like him because he's normal and you've never quite felt like a princess or a queen. Lyssa knows you've always wanted to play in the mud instead of attending your classes" she said more to herself and in between blinks saw young Jennah's pristine white dress splattered with dirt and mud and yet she had never seemed happier.

„Perhaps, yes. He wouldn't care about politics, noble squabbles and trying to constantly get an advantage over me. He has no mind for these things. He would love me as I am and I would never have to watch myself around him. That is what I want. That is what I wish we could be" she said quietly and Anise placed one arm around her waist and drew her closer.

„You deserve to be happy" she murmured and brushed her lips over the crown of Jennah's head, for once not scolding her for being so clingy. She heard her take a deep sigh before burrowing her face in the crook of her neck.

„I am. I have you"

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 **There we are. Hope you liked it. :)**


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